The Australian skipper has secured over 300 dismissals in 71 five-day games with an impressive average.
The Australian chair of selectors the selector has declared that pace spearhead Cummins will have a crucial role in the forthcoming England-Australia contest.
Speculation had been growing that the 32-year-old might be unavailable due to a ongoing back issue that remained unresolved.
Previous updates from the squad suggested no official announcement had been made regarding whether he would play, with the extended contest scheduled to begin on the 21st of November in Perth.
Bailey expressed that the captain is progressing and was "optimistic" about the likelihood of participating.
"We're aware that the window is narrowing and various factors at play, aside from the physical problem, but additional elements," the selector added.
"The outlook is good. We firmly believe that he will feature a major part. Hopefully from the opening match. If not, then we'll pick it up."
Injury History
Cummins was ruled out the ODI and T20 games against New Zealand and India recently after scans revealed a lumbar bone stress.
Previous incidents include of back injuries, with recurrences in several earlier campaigns causing him to miss multiple domestic campaigns in a short span.
He emphasized he would be proactive in his approach in his recovery plan to secure his spot for the Ashes.
Bailey noted that it was unclear if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his comeback but admitted it was "pressing" for him to regain fitness for the opener.
Backup Options
Should Cummins not be fit, veteran batsman Smith will lead the side.
The talented all-rounder was recently pulled out from the ODI lineup for their ODI contests against the Asian giants as a safety move because of soreness in his side.
Bailey described it as a "small issue and mentioned that he'll feature in the state-level matches, so will be "well-prepared to deliver overs."
"Considerable effort has gone into creating the schedule for him to be available for the initial game as an all-rounder," the selector detailed.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the first two ODIs in any case. How he handles the bat in limited-overs, should it hinder progress for 24 more hours, we just made the decision to approach this more conservatively."
Series Schedule
The Ashes: Australia v England
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
